Do you have an idea but it is urgent and cannot wait for the next release? Then perhaps SAP's customer connect program is for you.
On Thursday SAP provided this webcast to ASUG on a Customer Connect for Web Intelligence. What is a customer connect? Greg Capps, fellow ASUG Volunteer, describes below:
Nadine Engler, SAP, started the webcast by saying the usual legal disclaimer applies, that things are subject to change.
Figure 1: Source: SAP
Figure 1 shows the “three pillars” of customer influence.
ASUG Web Intelligence Influence Council provides the Vision on the right.
Innovation is Customer Engagement Initiative
Customer connection is on the left which is the improvement channel
Figure 2: Source: SAP
Customer Connect improvements come via support notes and adapts
User groups provides feedback
Nadine said it is customer-driven, with focusing on topics in a project
Figure 3: Source: SAP
Figure 3 shows that focus topics have a fast cycle time.
It takes two months for collect phase
You can subscribe to an improvement
Nadine said that subscriptions are crucial – need 5 or more subscriptions to ensure that things that matter most
You can vote for further prioritizations
Figure 4: Source: SAP
Figure 4 shows that for this Customer Connect, anything that is not Web Intelligence is out of scope.
Also out of scope are older releases less than or equal to BI4.1 SP1
Figure 5: Source: SAP
Figure 5 shows the Collect phase where SAP works with different user groups to raise ideas. For this you will have until 3/22 to do collect phase for voting/subscriptions
Mid May is the select phase to propose idea
SAP will hold a selection call to review results
The development will integrate into service packs after 4.1 GA, with development ending at the end of this year
Last phase is use of those features – at least 5 customers need to commit to using it
Figure 6: Source: SAP
Figure 6 shows the roles and responsibilities. The Customer tracks his promotion request and it is his interest to get subscribers
Customer who subscribes to request means that they plan to implement
Figure 7: Source: SAP
Figure 7 shows the website which is influence.sap.com
It is a global influence tool
Each improvement request has one improvement owner
Subscribing is important if you plan to use
Figure 8: Source: SAP
Figure 8 shows you need an S-user account, then you request a logon to the customer connection site.
Figure 9
Figure 9 shows the request to get access to the Customer Connection site. It takes about a day to obtain access.
Figure 10: Source: SAP
Figure 10 shows the customer connection site after you obtain access. It has a FAQ along with a User Manual
Figure 11: Source: SAP
Figure 11 shows the BusinessObjects Web Intelligence site that was demonstrated by Nadine Engler
Figure 12: Source: SAP
During the webcast, Nadine walked us through how to create an improvement request, as shown in Figure 12. You need to provide a base release for the improvement request and describe what needs to be improved, and provide a proposal for improvement
Figure 13: Source: SAP
Each improvement request will have a status. Qualified status means it has 5 or more subscribers
The “Handed Over” request means the request is too large to handle in Customer Connect
Rejected status is if not enough subscribers or technical implementation
Deliver status means what has been delivered so far
Figure 14: Source: SAP
Figure 14 shows the tooltip for the Subscribe button. If you subscribe it means you are planning to use the improvement suggestion in a productive fashion.
Figure 15: Source: SAP
Figure 15 shows the registration process
Figure 16: Source: SAP
Once the improvement is delivered, you have a delivery call and look for improvements in the Improvement Finder as shown in Figure 16.
Figure 17: Source: SAP
Figure 17 shows that you need a feedback agreement if you are the owner and it needs to be signed by company
You also may get access to an SAP system then you need another agreement in place.
Figure 18: Source: SAP
Figure 18 shows the next steps - subscribe, post and read other participants influence requests
Question and Answer
Q: Clarification –if we see a bug and open a case – should we log it there as well?
A: No; Customer connect is just for enhancements – to make product better
Q: Are you only looking at users familiar with 4.1? We are still on 3.1 but I definitely have suggestions for improvement based on my 3.1 experience.
A: It is open to all
Separately, there is a Customer Engagement Initiative going on for Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Patch - please see this discussion by SAP's thomasb.kuruvilla
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